As Maureen Marion, a spokesman for the Postal Service, said, "it is just necessary for us to move on ."."."

Obviously, she knows nothing about Hawleyville and its post office.

For the past three years, it's been clear that the Postal Service wanted to rid itself of Hawleyville -- not just the post office, but the people who love the post office.

This post office is a small, friendly, efficient place -- a bit of small-town America that should be treasured, not shuttered.

What's so irritating about the Postal Service announcement that the Hawleyville post office will be closed is that two companies were willing to rent space to the Postal Service in Hawleyville to replace the dilapidated building that now houses the post office.

Postal officials ended negotiations and announced the closure of Hawleyville.

Is there a chance to turn this around? Sure. Why not?

As Newtown First Selectman Joe Borst said: "In order to keep the post office open, we want the post office people to get off their butts and get this project going, where we get another post office in Hawleyville."